Mac OS on new hard drive

Niel wrote:

Restart with the Option, Command, and R keys held down, go to the installer, and run it.

Oh sorry I did not carefully read the post from Niel above

He is describing how to get to "Recovery" by holding the option command R keys on starting up your Mac.

I typically include the Apple Knowledge base article: here it is, should explain a lot.

About macOS Recovery - Apple Support

Restart with the Option, Command, and R keys held down, go to the installer, and run it.

(163756)

newmacuser8888 wrote:

2012 mac mini. I installed a new SSD. How do I get a copy of Mac OS to put on there.

When i restart and press or hold down those keys or even when I do nothing. It gives me a flashing folder with a question mark in the middle. I can't seem to get to recovery

So if command R does not work for Recovery— because I suspect that is an un formated brand new SSD drive

and option command R does not work for Internet Recovery—because you need to be connected to the internet.

What are the options?

What was on the old Hard Drive you took out of the 2012 mac mini? If you have an external enclosure to put it in, you could boot off that.

You could put the old HHD back in the mac mini—Boot off of that (what is on that drive? Have you used it? Is it set up with your account? The idea being you could download the High Sierra from the >AppStore

and create a bootableUSB Flash drive installer.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

The bootable USB installer has Recovery available.

You need to formate the new SSD using the Disk Utility, either from the old HD macOS DiskUtility.app, or in Recovery mode. This would be one partition/ GUID as the partition map / and Extended Journaled as the format type. Now it is ready to run the installation of the High Sierra.

Here is some causal reading that may help you see some potential alternatives applicable to your situation— if you have an external enclosure to use.

How to create a boot clone

Other thoughts you could always go to the nearest Apple Store and they would help you format and install the macOS on you Mac mini.

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter Assessment and/or 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test

https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

newmacuser8888 wrote:

I think I'm lucy enough to get that ssd in the first place...thanks youtube! I couldn't find how to download(not upgrade) high sierra to begin with. I'll take it to the apple store. I didn't realize that they would help you out of warranty.

Good luck and good computing newmacuser8888 !

newmacuser8888 wrote:

I just got my first mac. A 2012 mac mini. I installed a new SSD. How do I get a copy of Mac OS to put on there.

Thanks!

Nev

If this is a brand new SSD it will have to be formattted before you can install the macOS.

From the same Recovery you can use the Disk Utility to format the drive: as one partition/ GUID (partion table also refered to as GPT)) / select the file format as Extended journeled (also referred to as HFS+)

Disk Utility for macOS Sierra: Partition a physical disk using Disk Utility

Verify from DiskUtility tool bar menu >View>"Show all devices" that you are seeing the new disk (Device)